Dual control device for automobiles

ABSTRACT

A selectively applicable dual control device for application to many automotive vehicles having a manually depressable foot pedal, comprising: a transverse rock shaft journaled in aligned journal bearings releasably fixed relative to the vehicle structure and having an articulate link pedal actuating means at one end and an arm having an auxiliary pedal, releasably attached for selective radial and axial positions to the rock shaft and thus conventionally disposed for use by an occupant seated beside the driver.

United States Patent 51 Stantus May 9, 1972 541 DUAL CONTROL DEVICE FORFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS AUTOMOBILES 515,126 8/1955 Canada..74/562.5 [72] Inventor: John J. Stantus, North 5321 Lehman RoadSpokane wash 99206 PrimaryE.\'ammerMilton Kaufman Assistant Examiner-F.D. Shoemaker [22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1969 AItorneyN0rman 1-1. Huff Appl.No.: 884,254

[52] US. Cl ..74/562.5 [51] Int. Cl. i ..G05g 1/16 [58] Field of Search..74/562.5,562,478.5,480

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,694,946 1 H1954 Vandal..74/562.5 2,890,597 6/1959 Allgaier ..74/562.5

[57] ABSTRACT A selectively applicable dual control device forapplication to many automotive vehicles having a manually depressablefoot pedal, comprising: a transverse rock shaft journaled in alignedjournal bearings releasably fixed relative to the vehicle structure andhaving an articulate link pedal actuating means at one end and an armhaving an auxiliary pedal. releasably attached for selective radial andaxial positions to the rock shaft and thus conventionally disposed foruse by an occupant seated beside the driver.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 9:912 3,661,033

SHEET 1 OF 2 JOHN J. STANTUS INVENTOR.

DUAL CONTROL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES This invention relates to dualcontrol means for an automotive vehicle having a foot pedal and moreparticularly to an interchangeable dual control actuating device whichmay be readily applied and removed with respect to most automotivevehicles in accordance with manual selection.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which can readily beremovably installed in an automotive vehicle and which provides meansfor actuating a foot pedal, for example the brake pedal by a passengeroccupying the front seat opposed to the driver, as, for example, adriving instructor.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel releasablefastening means adapted to secure the device, with respect to anautomotive vehicle, without modifying the vehicle structure in any way.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device ofpredetermined size with selected elements adjustably related one toanother to facilitate its application to a wide range of conventionalautomobile configurations and sizes.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a device ofthe character set forth which is composed of a minimum number of partsassembled with facility at a commercially feasible cost and one which isnot likely to malfunctron.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present inventionwill become more apparent and meaningful during the course of thefollowing specification when considered in association with theaccompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention isgraphically illustrated. It is to be understood, however, that thedrawings are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scopeof the invention. It should also be understood that various changes inconstruction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture without inany way departing from the spirit of the invention. MOreover, it is tobe understood that while the invention is described in its particularassociation with a vehicle brake pedal, it is not my intention tounnecessarily limit the applicability of the invention and I desire toreserve to myself the claimed invention for every use of which it is nowknown or subsequently discovered to be susceptible.

Other advantages and features of this invention will become apparentfrom the more detailed description following in which like referencenumerals are employed to designate similar parts in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my dual control attachment releasablysecured to a vehicle structure;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view looking perpendicularly to the axisof the lateral rock shaft, partially in section; and

F K]. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the foot pedal actuating meanstaken athwart of the axis of the rock shaft as at line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

My dual control device comprises generally a rock shaft 11 which isrotatably carried by spaced journal bearings 12 which are releasablyfixed, with respect to the structure of the automotive vehicle 14, aswill be more fully described hereinafter.

A brake foot pedal actuating spindle 15 is rigidly fixed to the rockshaft 11 in radially spaced parallel relationship by means of a bracket16. An arm is provided with a right angularly disposed sleeve 13 whichrotatably receives the spindle 15 to form an articulate connection.Opposed to the sleeve l3,

arm 10 has means for connecting to a manually depressable foot pedal 27and includes a right angle cross arm 17, adapted to strike the saidmanually depressable foot pedals reach 28, and a tongue 29 for insertionbehind the foot pad 30.

Near the end of the rock shaft 11 opposed to the bracket 16 l haveprovided an auxiliary pedal 18 which is carried by an arm 19 terminatingin a sleeve 20 which encircles rock shaft 11 in close tolerance formovements axially and radially of the said shaft 11. Set bolts 21-21facilitate the manual release and adjustment to selected longitudinaland radial fixed positions.

The journal bearings 12 are fixed upon sleeves 22 either as an inte%alpart or welded thereto. The sleeves 22 are designed to slida ly receivethe central portions 23 of longitudinally variable struts 24-24. Saidcentral portions 23 are shown to be externally threaded bars each ofwhich has an internally threaded mating sleeve-like head 25 and anunthreaded foot 26 respectively on its upper and lower ends. The severalsleeves (22-25-26) are adjustably fixed relative to the central portion23 by lock nuts 2727. It will thus be seen that the struts may bereleasably secured in a vehicle by expanding the effective length of thestruts 24 to cause the heads 25 and feet 26 to forcibly engage thevehicle floor 9 and dash 8 or other fixed structure above the floor 9.

It should be noted that each foot 26 is a sleeve having an openingthrough which the tongue 33 of spring lever 32 extends and mates withthe threads of central portion 23 and thus provides means for fastadjustment by manually removing the tongue 33 from the threads whilesliding the foot to its generally desired location and thence releasingthe tongue to mate with the threads for fine adjustments by relativerotation of the foot 26.

Examination of the drawings clearly shows that the control device ismanually adjustable to enable an operator to modify the relativepositions of parts to fit most vehicles on the market today.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States the following:

1. In a selectively applicable dual control device for automobileshaving a manually depressable foot pedal on a vehicle supported reach,the combination of:

a pair of spaced strut members having end portions selectively andreleasably engageable respectively with the floor of the vehicle andfixed structure above the floor;

a rock shaft journaled adjacent its ends to said strut members andprovided with an auxiliary foot pedal operatively connected to rotatesaid rock shaft when depressed;

a bracket on said rock shaft having a spindle fixed in spaced parallelrelationship to said rock shaft;

an arm articulately and removably interconnected to said spindle;

a cross-bar on said arm for contacting the foot pedal reach;

and

a tongue for insertion behind the foot pedal.

2. The invention according to Claim 1, wherein:

said auxiliary foot pedal has an arm provided with a sleeve at one endand a foot pad at the other;

said sleeve encircling said rock shaft; and

means securing said sleeve to said rock shaft with said arm extending ata selected radial position with respect to said rock shaft.

1. In a selectively applicable dual control device for automobileshaving a manually depressable foot pedal on a vehicle supported reach,the combination of: a pair of spaced strut members having end portionsselectively and releasably engageable respectively with the floor of thevehicle and fixed structure above the floor; a rock shaft journaledadjacent its ends to said strut members and provided with an auxiliaryfoot pedal operatively connected to rotate said rock shaft whendepressed; a bracket on said rock shaft having a spindle fixed in spacedparallel relationship to said rock shaft; an arm articulately andremovably interconnected to said spindle; a cross-bar on said arm forcontacting the foot pedal reach; and a tongue for insertion behind thefoot pedal.
 2. The invention according to Claim 1, wherein: saidauxiliary foot pedal has an arm provided with a sleeve at one end and afoot pad at the other; said sleeve encircling said rock shaft; and meanssecuring said sleeve to said rock shaft with said arm extending at aselected radial position with respect to said rock shaft.